The Las Vegas Aces acquired forward NaLyssa Smith in a trade with the Dallas Wings for a 2027 first-round draft pick, the team announced on Monday afternoon. The Aces haven’t had a first-round pick in three years, and the decision to trade for Smith came as a surprise to many in the WNBA, including Smith herself.
She said she “never seen this coming” in a post on social media. She also added that joining A’ja Wilson and the Aces was something she was excited about.
This was Smith’s first year playing with Dallas and so far it hadn’t been too productive of a season. She was averaging 6.7 points on 42.5% shooting along with 4.9 rebounds in just under 20 minutes per game.
The former Baylor star was selected No. 2 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2022 draft and she stayed with the team until a three-way deal took her to Dallas right before the arrival of 2025 No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers.
Although Smith was part of the Fever roster that reached the WNBA playoffs for the first time since 2016, she publicly talked about her desire to play a bigger role on the team. Things did not work out too well with the Wings, but now Smith gets another chance to start over.
Smith’s stats this season are not exactly head turning, but her previous seasons show she has a lot more to offer. With the Fever, Smith averaged 13.2 points 8 rebounds and 1.3 assist per contest.
She made the WNBA All-Rookie Team selection in 2022 and then had her best season in 2023 with 15.5 points and 9.1 boards while playing just under 29 minutes per game. If Smith can reach those numbers again, she could certainly help a struggling Las Vegas team that is looking for depth.
Why Aces made the deal
The Aces won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023, but this has been a disappointing season for them as they currently own a 8-8 record. The team struggles to play consistently for 40 minutes, with third quarters being particularly tough. Coach Becky Hammon has also been vocal about wanting to see more intensity and energy from her roster.
Wilson is considered one of the top players in the game right now and leads the team in points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Jackie Young has also been a key offensive weapon with 18 points per contest. But the lack of depth has been a concern for Las Vegas, which means the addition of Smith is likely an attempt to add some strength as a two-way frontcourt option.
The Aces are not relying on a lot of young talent at the moment, but rookie Aaliyah Nye has shown potential. Las Vegas lost its 2026 first-round pick to the Seattle Storm in the three-team trade for Jewell Loyd, and now the team does not own a first-round pick until 2028. Giving up a first-round pick for Smith feels risky, but it seems the Aces front office wanted to shake things up. The Aces have an 8-8 record and the fifth-best title odds to win the 2025 WNBA Finals (+1600 per Caesars Sportsbook).
Wings continue their rebuild
Despite Paige Bueckers joining Arike Ogunbowale in Dallas, the Wings started the season 1-11 before winning four of their last six games. Smith started 15 games with the Wings but was not having a huge impact in her first season in Dallas.
Realistically, the Wings are focused on the future. There is a lot of talent in college basketball that could help Dallas be competitive later on while building around Bueckers, who has been a star in her rookie season. The draft class of 2027 could potentially include USC’s JuJu Watkins, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, Texas’ Madison Booker and Iowa State’s Audi Crooks among others stars.